Tilting device for pressing irons



y 1954 M. VICTOR TILTING DEVICE FOR PRESSING IRONS Filed July 15, 1952 INVENTOR- mm r; V! an? Patented July 20, 1954 UNITED STAT A'E'ENT OFFICE TILTING DEVICE FOR PRESSING IRONS Maurice Victor, London, England, assignor of one-half to Henry Victor, London, England Claims. 1

This invention relates to a device adapted to be attached to a pressing iron by which when hand pressure is released from the iron the sole of the iron will be moved upwards away from the work to obviate its maintaining contact with the work when not in use, and in particular the invention relates to a device adapted essentially for attachment to existing irons as distinct from the heretofore proposed incorporation in the iron during its manufacture of counter-weight means adapted to form a bias which, when not opposed by hand pressure, tilts the iron on to an insulated supporting surface formed in prolongation with or in close proximity to the heel of the iron.

According to the present invention, a device for the purpose set forth comprises an arm provided at one end with means for so attaching it to the iron that the arm extends rearwardly beyond the iron, the said arm incorporating a weight so related to the end by which the arm is attached to the iron that it biases the iron to which the device is attached in a manner which produces a centre of gravity for the combined iron and applied device resulting in the iron, when freed from hand pressure, tilting so as to lift its sole from the work.

..t is preferred for the said device to embody as a part thereof a supporting surface for the I on the bias weight producing means to a supporting means for the iron when the is from the work due to hand pressure being released from the iron.

eccording to one embodiment of the present 11 'ention the device comprises an arm provided one end with means for attaching it readily to is rear of the iron and extending by reason of such attachment upwardly and rearwardly from the iron and having a part shaped to ext nd in prolongation of the heel or rear of the e of the iron to form a supporting surface for the iron when the sole is lifted from the work, and also being weighted so as to bias the iron to tilt it on to such supporting surface when hand e --l.ll:'5 is released from the iron.

arm may be constructed and adapted be so attached to the rear part of the handle I the iron so as to be foldable relative to the 1:. lie so as to minimise space occupied when the iron is not in use.

order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, one embodiment thereof is illustrated by the appended drawing showing in broken perspective an appliance suitable for attachment readily to the rear part of the handle of a flat iron.

Referring to the drawing a normal type of pressing iron is illustrated by the broken line i, its handle being designated by the reference numeral 2 and its sole by the reference numeral The counter-balance or bias producing device is shown in the form of an arm adapted to extend upwardly and rearwardly from the rear of the iron whilst being adapted to be folded over the handle 2 in a collapsed or out-of-use position, and for this purpose the said arm comprises a length of metal bent to elongated U form so as to produce two side bars t, the front of which are pivoted by a pair of pins 5 secured to diametrically opposed points of split collar 5 adapted to be clamped about the neck or vertical part of the rear of the handle 2 by any suitable means such as, e. g. a clamping screw 3 passed through lugs E! forming the termini of the band comprising the split collar 5.

At the end of the said arm remote from its point of pivotal connection to the collar 6 there is secured to the arm a weighted mass such as, e. g.

a U-shaped piece of cast metal having a high specific gravity, and means is provided for securing the arm in the upwardly and rearwardly inclined position shown so that, owing to the eiiect of the weighted mass 9 when hand pressure is released from the handle 2 the iron I will tilt about the heel or rear part of its sole plate 3 to lift the sole from the work.

To ensure complete removal of the sole from the work the said counter-balance weighted arm incorporates a part on to which the weight is transferred when the hand pressure is released from the iron, said part comprising a supporting plate is having a leading edge i l which is closely related to or actually abuts against the trailing end of the sole 3, the said plate H3 having an arcuate base defined by the curved portion 5?. and on to which the weight is transferred when hand pressure is released from the iron, so that the base it serves in effect as a temporary supporting base or prolongation of the heel of the iron which, by reason of the influence of the weight 5 serves to support the iron when the sole 3 is tilted from the work, the weighted free end of the arm also, if so desired co-operating with the base it] to serve to support the iron in the tilted position.

The side cheeks l3 which are formed as integral downward prolongations of the side limbs of the arm 4 are flared outwardly away from 3 the parallel parts of the arm so that the width of the base part ill is substantially equal to the width of the heel of the iron.

Means is provided for readily locking the counterweight means in the operative position, and such means may comprise a sinuously deformed or arcuately shaped lug l4 bent out integrally from one or each side of the front end of the arm and engaged each over a lug [5 which can be bent integrally up from the collar 6, the lug Hi snapping over the lug l5 and yielding to manual pressure when it is required to fold the elongated U-shaped arm over the handle 2 when the iron is out of use.

I claim:

1. In combination, a pressing iron having a sole plate and a handle, a clamping ring removably attached to the rear part of the handle of the iron, a folding arm pivoted to the clamping ring for angular displacement between an operative ironing position in which said arm extends upwardly and rearwardly of the iron and a nonoperative packing position in which said arm partially overlies the said handle, a downward projection on said arm forming an iron supporting surface arranged to' extend in prolongation of the heel end of the sole plate when the said arm is in the aforesaid operative position, and aicounter-weight carried by said arm in such a manner that, when the latter is in the operative position, the said iron will tend to occupy a position of rest on said iron supporting surface with the sole plate tilted clear of the ironing surface.

2. A combination according to claim 1 in which said clamping ring is provided with an outwardly extending flange adapted to engage a downwardly projecting tongue onsaid folding arm and retain the latter in said operative ironing position.

3. A device for attachment to a pressing iron automatically to tilt the sole of the iron away from the work when freed from hand pressure, comprising a clamping ring attachable to the iron, a foldingarm pivoted to the said clamping ring for angular displacement between an operative ironing position in which said arm extends upwardly and rearwardly of the iron, and a non-operative packing position in which said arm is shaped to partly shroud the iron handle, a downward extension formed integrally with said arm to provide an iron supporting surface extending in prolongation of the sole of said iron when the said arm is operatively positioned, and a counter-weight carried by said arm in such a manner that, when the latter is in the operative position, the said iron will tend to occupy a position of rest on said iron supporting surface with the sole tilted clear of the work.

4. A device according to claim 3, in which the said arm is in the form of an elongated U-shape member pivoted at the free ends of its side limbs to opposite parts of the clamping ring, said side limbs being extended downwardly and spanned by a plate shaped to afford said supporting surface for the iron.

5. A device according to claim 4, in which the side limbs of the arm are disposed on opposite sides or" the handle of the iron when the said arm is in the non-operative position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Finlayson Mar. 25, 1947 

